Edison cops: 'Extremely important' we find depressed, alcoholic, missing man

EDISON — Police here say it's "extremely important" they find a 52-year-old township man last seen more than a month ago, after he was discharged from Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Somerville.

Thomas Roach, 52, last made contact with his family members on June 2, telling them he planned to check himself into a substance abuse rehabilitation program, police said. Roach is an alcoholic and is believed to be addicted to Oxycodone, police said.

He was discharged from this hospital July 10, but his vehicle and personal belongings were found in the hospital's parking lot. Security cameras turned up nothing, police said.

“Ordinarily, Mr. Roach is very close with his family and friends. They are, understandably, concerned with his whereabouts and his well-being. We hope that enlisting the public's assistance will further our investigation,” Detective Jeff Tierney said in a statement provided by police.

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Roach is white, 5 feet and 10 inches, with a fair complexion and brown-graying hair and blue eyes, police said. He has a birthmark over his left eye, police said.

Edison police released his photo and description to other departments after his disappearance, police said.

Police said they have previously arranged for Roach to be transported to medical facilities for evaluation after he expressed feelings of depression and thoughts of suicide.

They described Roach as an "amateur sportsman" who owns a registered Bauer .25-caliber handgun, but said tthey do not know if he was in possession of that weapon at the time of his disappearance.

Police ask anyone with information about Roach or his whereabouts to contact Tierney at 732 261-3188 or jtierney@edisonpd.org.